Jusduckria: Thank you, once again, Mister President, for agreeing to this interview.
I guess my first question is, looking back on this latest term, what would you consider your biggest accomplishment and biggest failure or letdown?
Pope Lexus: Considering I suggested it, I should thank you for letting me do some talking that's not a big speech for once!
My biggest accomplishment this term has actually been how little I've been needed. I came in half-way through the term, everything was terribly dysfunctional, but with a bit of perseverance and the right cabinet choices, I haven't had to do much. I don't remember as many ministries working as well ever, and the result hopefully will be that next term a new President will have an easier time taking over. I guess then, you can say the initial momentum of the regime change and my choices for cabinet were my best moments this term, and anything else is all due to the ministers.
As for failures, I still didn't define the CoS position (me being the one to create it), and I've turned against the press conference idea in favour of a government paper, so the more I consider it the less I can commit to a clear definition for the job. As a political tool though it still gives a candidate the opportunity to keep a trusted advisor on the cabinet, giving newer members more chances. So, all in all, I don't think I've failed the region too dramatically this term.
Jusduckria: From what I've heard and read, the events leading up to your assuming office were pretty dramatic. How would you describe what your thoughts and feelings were as events unfolded?
Pope Lexus: I think I summed my thoughts up perfectly with what I posted in Ollie's resignation thread; "Oh.. bugger..:blink: ". I never really intended on even being a full-time Vice-President, as RL has conquered all my free-time. My intention in taking that post was just to bring some order back to Europeia, and to become President the following week was essentially a nightmare scenario. Despite that, it gave me a chance to give Europeia the time I owed it (having left early in my 4th term) and well, despite what people say and believe, the Presidency in Europeia is so much fun if you let it be.
Jusduckria: I've got three questions for you, and you can answer in any order:
1. What about this latest term would you consider to be the fun part(s)?
2. As you look at the campaigning so far, what are your thoughts on your potential successor, the challenges he (since both candidates are male) will face, and the people he may bring in?
3. What issues would you like to see addressed by the next Administration? Is there something you regret having done or not done?
Pope Lexus: 1) Well..for me the most fun part was that a lot of the focus was taken off the executive. I haven't been pressured by anything this term, partially because I think people know that coming into power part way through a term is difficult and so there were lower expectations of me. That allowed me to mess around a bit more and take a few days completely away from NS. In Europeia though, it meant that areas like the Grand Hall were used far more to debate ideas and events. The contest for my heir Presidential election race is particularly fun this time too.
2) Fortunately I don't think I've damaged anything enough to cause any major institutional or diplomatic challenges to either candidate. I think the best thing the next President can do is to not try to be me, or to follow as few of the examples I've set. They need to define their own style and choose their own priorities. The greatest challenge for every President though is to hold people's interest in Europeia immediately after the elections. There's a one week burst of innovation and excitement which is quickly followed by dis-interest and gradual decline until the next elections begin. It's a recurring pattern which the next President will have to work to fight.
3) I regret that I simply couldn't be the President I was this time last year. My RL obstacles were too great, and had it not been for the competence of my cabinet, I wouldn't have been surprised to see another power-change this term. For next term, recruitment has to continue. bsmart and the other recruiters did brilliant work and there's no need to let things die-back yet. Culture is swamped with work on the Europeian history, and I would like to see that finished next term as well as an expansion of culture, though neither candidate has wowed me with cultural ideas for next term so who knows what will happen. All I know is I will be return to my spot as the old man shouting from the shadows.
Jusduckria: Is there any one thought or message that you want to get out to the citizens of Europeia?
And what are the future plans for Pope Lexus? Retirement from politics? Elder Statesman? Living it up on some tropical Europeian island?
Pope Lexus: 1) Make Europeia what you want. For some, NS is solely a political game which rises and falls in interest depending on what rogue delegacy rages through the feeders. Europeia can be whatever you want. The cultural hub of NS, as gathering place for rhetoric and literary writers? The envy of all political regions with the fierce competition and scheming during elections? A social area where citizens can just bounce around ideas and thoughts on life in general? People shy away from NS and regional involvement due to preconceptions about the internet, but there is something fundamental and basic here which offers the potential to be less a game and more an institution. How the division between those two is treated makes all the difference to our experience, but this is entirely up to you, so make Europeia what you want.
2) Some tropical Europeian island does not sound half bad.. I said it last time that I wanted to go into the judiciary and reform it there, but as I had little time in RL or things to do here after the last term, when the elections rolled around I couldn't have won as the impression was that I returned expecting a handout. I don't know if I'll run for it next time, but it is the one area untouched by me, so I would like to give it a whirl. Apart from that I'll simply be around pestering you all in the shadows. Stopping off for tea with the various people who made Europeia brilliant for me on my travels through life will certainly be on the agenda.
Since this interview, Pope Lexus X has been put up by Chief Justice Cordova I as an Associate Justice of the High Court.
